Dennis Rodman offers to help Trump, US 'straighten things out' with North Korea

Posted September 7, 2017 at 7:17 AM

In this undated photo published on Sept. 7, 2013, on the homepage of North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, talks with former NBA player Dennis Rodman during a dinner in North Korea.

In this undated photo published on Sept. 7, 2013, on the homepage of North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, talks with former NBA player Dennis Rodman during a dinner in North Korea. (AP)

An unlikely mutual friend is offering to help President Donald Trump make peace with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Dennis Rodman is offering to help the U.S. "straighten things out" with North Korea after the two countries have escalated tensions with threats of a potential nuclear war.

"I just want to try to straighten things out for everyone to get along together," the former NBA star told "Good Morning Britain" on Wednesday.

Rodman, who has visited the dictator in North Korea several times, most recently offered an olive branch on behalf of Trump with a gift of the real estate mogul's book "The Art of the Deal." Meanwhile, he's suggesting Trump talk to Kim to find common ground and avoid violent confrontation.

"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

Kim is "just like everybody else," Rodman said. The basketball Hall of Famer, also known as "The Worm," told host Piers Morgan that his trips to Pyongyang included "cool things" like karaoke, skiing, horseback riding and laughing.

Rodman, who appeared on Trump's reality TV show "Celebrity Apprentice" twice, endorsed Trump for president back in 2015.

"I think if the president even tries to reach out for Kim, I think it will be a great possibility. Things can happen if Donald Trump, if they sit down, and have some type of mutual conversation," Rodman told "Good Morning Britain." "It don't have to be like a friendship type of conversation, just a mutual conversation saying, 'Hi, I would love to engage in some words and politics and over the history of your country and my country and just try to start some dialogue.' I think that'll open up maybe the door just a little bit."

Earlier this year, North Korea missile tests prompted Trump to threaten "fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen." North Korea has since conducted more tests, including launching a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry nuclear bombs over Japan last week.

"We sing karaoke, we do a lot of cool things together."Dennis Rodman has spoken about his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un: pic.twitter.com/mu592c5la7